The Seatonian Prize is awarded by the

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

for the best English poem on a sacred subject. This prize has been awarded annually since 1750 and is open to any

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...

of the university.

Lord Byron George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824) was an English poet. He is one of the major figures of the Romantic movement, and is regarded as being among the greatest poets of the United Kingdom. Among his best-kno ...

referred to this prize in his 1809 poem entitled "English Bards and Scots Reviewers". The prize is still awarded annually, with a deadline of 30 September each year. It is open to all members of the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

of the University of Cambridge, and to anyone with the status of Masters of Arts.

Founding

This prize was founded by the Rev.

Thomas Seaton The Reverend Thomas Seaton (baptised 2 October 1684, Stamford, Lincolnshire, died 18 August 1741 at Ravenstone, Buckinghamshire), was a Church of England clergyman and religious writer. Seaton died unmarried in 1741 at Ravenstone and is buried ther ...

, educated at

Stamford School Stamford School is a co-educational independent school (UK), independent school in Stamford, Lincolnshire in the English Public School (United Kingdom), public school tradition. Founded in 1532, it has been a member of the Headmasters' and Hea ...

and a

Fellow A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned society, learned or professional society, p ...

Clare College Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college was founded in 1326 as University Hall, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. It was refounded ...

, who died in 1741. The prize was financed by the revenue from his Kislingbury estate bequeathed to the university. His bequest was not formally accepted by the university until 1898, at which time regulations were drawn up for the administration of the Seatonian Prize by the Faculty of Divinity.

Winners

The winner in the first three years was

Christopher Smart Christopher Smart (11 April 1722 – 20 May 1771) was an English poet. He was a major contributor to two popular magazines, ''The Midwife'' and ''The Student'', and a friend to influential cultural icons like Samuel Johnson and Henry Fiel ...

. "On the Omniscience of the Supreme Being" (Cambridge, 1752) was his prize-winning "poetical essay" of that year. Smart won much credit by his success. In 1754 his fellowship was extended on condition that he continued to write for the prize. In 1759 the prize was won by

Beilby Porteus Beilby Porteus (or Porteous; 8 May 1731 – 13 May 1809), successively Bishop of Chester and of Bishop of London, London, was a Church of England reform movement, reformer and a leading Abolitionism#Great Britain, abolitionist in England. He w ...

for his poem on "Death", for which he is still remembered. In 1797, 1798, and 1799 the prize was won by William Bolland. Byron's poem records the name of some of the winners:

Shall hoary Granta call her sable sons, Expert in science, more expert at puns? Shall these approach the Muse? ah, no! she flies, Even from the tempting ore of Seaton's prize; Though Printers condescend the press to soil With rhyme by Hoare, and epic blank by Hoyle: Not him whose page, if still upheld by whist, Requires no sacred theme to bid us list. Ye! who in Granta's honours would surpass, Must mount her Pegasus, a full-grown ass;⁠ A foal well worthy of her ancient Dam, Whose Helicon is duller than her Cam.

In 2018, the Seatonian Prize was awarded to Colin Wilcockson of Pembroke College.

List of winners

*1750:

(Pembroke) "On the Eternity of the Supreme Being" *1805: Edith Darcy "The Fall of Bethlehem" *1807: Charles Hoare. (St John's MA) "The Shipwreck of St. Paul" *1818: Alldersey Dicken, DD (1794-1871) (Fellow of Peterhouse 1816-32). Awarded for his poem, "Deborah" (Cambridge: J. Smith), which tells of the triumph of Deborah and Barak over Sisera's forces (see: Book of Judges, chapter IV).

*1829: John Howard Marsden (1803-1891)(St John's MA 1829) "The Finding of Moses" *1902: Rev. John Hudson, Peterhouse, Cambridge, Peterhouse, ''"Cyrus and the restoration of the Jews"'' *2017: Prof Randall Johnston, Pembroke, ''"O God, enfold me in the sun"'' *2018: Colin Wilcockson, PembrokeColin Wilcockson
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References

{{Reflist British poetry awards 1750 establishments in England Awards established in 1750 Awards and prizes of the University of Cambridge Christian poetry

Founding

Winners

List of winners

Further reading

References